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From active shooters to wildfires, the United States has seen rough times recently. In hours of crisis it’s essential to have a first aid kit for your family. Recently, I wrote about the importance of creating a personalized first aid kit for your home. Today I want to talk to you about having a pretty cool, custom first aid kit for your car. And it involves a fanny pack.
No, really it does.
On Instagram I’ve seen ads for some really nice, high-end first aid kits. The one I liked the most was a small back with a handle that was hanging from the headrest of the passenger seat of a car. When I clicked on it, I discovered it was $100. Wow. That’s a lot for a family to invest in a kit for the car. So with some experience and a fanny pack, you can make your own, easy to access, headrest first aid kit.
Accessibility
When most people think of a car first aid kit, they think of a plastic box stuffed under a seat or stored in the cargo area. That may work sometimes, but it’s best to have it where everyone can get to it from inside the car. That makes the passenger headrest the best spot for the driver, passenger and anyone in the back seat to grab it in an emergency. I admit mine was stored in the cargo area of my SUV and wasn’t readily accessible.
Being The Secure Dad, I thought that a bag hanging from the headrest would catch the attention of a thief. I don’t want this kit to raise the odds of my car being targeted for a break-in. That’s why I chose a cheap fanny pack and added a first aid patch. There are some NICE bags out there you can buy for a kit like this. Don’t make the bag too nice as it my get snatched regardless of the contents.
The fanny pack I purchased was $6 and does the job fine. I had to use some Velcro fabric tape to get the first aid patch to stick. The patch was another $6 and the tape was another $6. So we’re at $18 total dollars now. Not bad.
Personalized Kit
Creating your own first aid kit ensures you have exactly what you require because not every family has the same needs. While store bought first aid kits are a great starting point, customizing your own gives you the flexibility to make sure everyone has when they need.
What you need:
Hand Sanitizer
Bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto Bismol)
Fabric adhesive bandages (Various sizes)
Butterfly bandages
Liquid bandage
Sting and bite treatments
Calamine lotion
Insect repellant
Antibiotic wipes
Pain relievers
Prescription drugs for all family members
EpiPen and other essential medication
Blanket
Nitrile Gloves
Glow sticks (for light and locating)
Hydrocortisone cream
Bandage rolls
Dog waste bags (for vomit and clean up)
Zippy bags (waterproofing and for vomit)
Sterilized gauze pads
I started my personalized car first aid kit from the commonly used items in an existing kit. Then I added the personalized items. I didn’t stuff everything from the original kit into the pack as that would defeat the purpose of having something easy to get to and organize. So take what you didn’t use in the pack and store it somewhere else.
This is a great time to start thinking about what you need to stock in your family’s car first aid kit. Hopefully you won’t have to use it often, but when you do need it, you’ll have it ready to go. For information on family safety and home security in your inbox, consider The Secure Dad Newsletter.
